Modeling and Simulation of UAV Carrier Landings
Gaurav Misra, Tianyu Gao, Xiaoli Bai
TL;DR
The paper develops and numerically validates a PID-based baseline flight control architecture for fixed-wing UAV carrier landings on HARV-like aircraft, incorporating SAS, glideslope, approach-track controls, and auto-throttle under realistic environmental conditions. It demonstrates through Monte Carlo simulations that, under low turbulence, most landings achieve deck contact with modest dispersion and final altitude error, while evaluating the feasibility of reduced approach speeds. The study identifies a limiting approach speed around $V_T = 150\ \mathrm{ft/s}$, with an optimal mix of angle of attack $\alpha \approx 21.8^{\circ}$ and glideslope $-3.5^{\circ}$, suggesting substantial potential for safer, lower-speed carrier landings with UAVs. Overall, the work provides a rigorous numerical framework and actionable insights for improving UAV carrier-landings using mature PID-based control tuned to turbulent and wake-rich environments.
Abstract
With UAVs promising capabilities to increase operation flexibility and reduce mission cost, we are exploiting the automated carrier-landing performance advancement that can be achieved by fixed-wing UAVs. To demonstrate such potentials, in this paper, we investigate two key metrics, namely, flight path control performance, and reduced approach speeds for UAVs based on the F/A-18 High Angle of Attack (HARV) model. The landing control architecture consists of an auto-throttle, a stability augmentation system, glideslope and approach track controllers. The performance of the control model is tested using Monte Carlo simulations under a range of environmental uncertainties including atmospheric turbulence consisting of wind shear, discrete and continuous wind gusts, and carrier airwakes. Realistic deck motion is considered where the standard deck motion time histories under the Systematic Characterization of the Naval Environment (SCONE) program released by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) are used. We numerically demonstrate the limiting approach conditions which allow for successful carrier landings and factors affecting it's performance.